High school volleyball: Hendricks excited for future at Penn

The new Penn volleyball coach has plenty of reasons to be excited for the first day of practice to commence.

Hendricks inherits a powerhouse program that won its first state championship last fall.

"I'm just ready to start coaching," said Hendricks, still energetic after putting in nearly eight hours running youth camps.

"I have a great group of girls who are talented and motivated. This is an amazing program and I'm proud to be a part of it."

Hendricks was hired in June to replace Lisa Pawlik. Pawlik retired in March after leading the Kingsmen for the past 17 seasons, which included 514 wins and five trips to the state finals. Her 2010 team went 39-1 and won the Class 4-A state title.

The Kingsmen cupboard is far from bare. Despite the loss of eight seniors, Penn returns plenty of talent, led by seniors Kaitlyn Hickey and Annie Drews. Hickey, who has committed to IUPUI, was all-state and the team's top hitter in 2010. The 6-foot-3 lefty Drews has committed to Purdue.

Also expected back are key performers Natalie Meert, Becca Lira and Emily Tavares.

"Everyone here has been so welcoming, and the transition has been very easy," Hendricks said. "The support here is amazing.

"I know the tradition of Penn athletics and Penn volleyball. To be able to come in and hit the ground running is just ideal for a new coach."

Hendricks, who will be a guidance counselor at Penn, boasts an impressive resume. She won a high school state title as a player in 1995 on a Michigan City team that went 40-1. She was a two-time All-American at Loyola Marymount in California.

After graduating, she remained in the college ranks as an assistant coach at Baylor (2003-04) and Idaho (2004-06).

The 32-year old Hendricks, whose playing career was cut short by surgeries on both knees, was the coach at Michigan City from 2007-10. She was laid off from her counseling position there in June 2010, and also lost her coaching position in the process.

"I just feel the stars were aligned and this was meant to be," Hendricks said of landing at Penn after not coaching during the 2010 season. "After I was laid off at City, I thought maybe I was done coaching.

"But after my first interview here with (Penn AD) Ben (Karasiak), I knew I was excited and there was no doubt I wanted to coach again. Coming back to volleyball is where I feel I belong."

Hendricks, whose son, Logan, turned 1 on June 24, hails from an athletic family. Both of her parents played basketball at Pittsburgh and her brother played baseball at Butler. Her husband, Wes, was a track and field standout at Idaho.

"I'm really lucky all the places volleyball has taken me," said Hendricks, who did return to City as a counselor from January to June before being hired by Penn. "I would love to win a (state championship) ring as a coach. We just have to take one step at a time.

"I always put pressure on myself to succeed. I see this as a challenge, and why wouldn't I want that? I have a great group of all-around good kids, and it's fun to be a part of that."